Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 with RENESAS-USB3-Host-Driver-21281-setup - problematic
Anything from 1 to 10 re-installations of USB 3.0 driver required for connection to take effect
Once achieved, connection is solid, can backup etc BUT lost on restart - [Definitely NOT USB 2.0 performance, tested]

Windows 8 Consumer Preview with Renesas USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller - 0096 (Microsoft) This driver is Native to WIN 8, when uninstalled , RE-installed automatically with 'Scan for Hardware Changes' or Restart
Anything from 0 to 6 re-installations of USB 3.0 driver required for connection to take effect
Once achieved, connection is solid, can backup etc BUT lost on restart - [Definitely NOT USB 2.0 performance, tested]

This is a controversial topic, only in the sense that searches reveal many users with this problem and apparent silence from Microsoft (not slagging off, I am a fan)
For Example: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/S...gquestion=true Microsoft Answers yields zilch for 'USB 3.0' search

The fact that Microsoft are now collaborating with Renesas (was NEC) on WIN 8 Native (builtin in O/S) driver:
Renesas USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller - 0096 driver means that it should work and any solution applied to WIN 7.

This cannot be a priority for Microsoft, only gentle pressure from users might help.

IF USB 3.0 works flawlessly with WINDOWS XP
THEN Installations of WIN 7 and WIN 8 on the same Platform (Same Hardware),
which exhibit no other problems and are perfeclly stable, should work.
Once connection is established, USB 3.0 works flawlessly - no breaks or drops [Definitely NOT USB 2.0 performance, tested]

There are enough clues above, for someone knowledgeable to push the envelope along,

Putting it simply, WIN 7 / 8 are 'weak' in STARTING process even though Device Manager reports 'This device is working properly.'
It might reside at the Boot/Logon stage

BEWARE of 'Intermediate' Stage in Above Install/Re-Install Routine:
FlashDrive LED is on, Host Controller - 'This Device is woking properly' (Properties)
but no sound or Drive in Computer/Explorer - or Disk Drive in Device Manager persevere with Step 3.
[not impossible, but impractical to attempt with Ext. HDD with weak LED]

No guarantee that this Method Operandi will NOT harm your Windows O/S,
but This PLATFORM has suffered NO ill effects, after 1K+ attempts... WINDOWS is
pretty robust animal
Project started with Windows 7 install Nov'11
'It's like priming a pump, eventually less attempts are required (System learning?)

At no time has connection, once established, dropped on this PLATFORM and
(Disconnected). Set Disk Drive-Properties- Policies - Quick Removal (Default) in
Device Manager

Thanks for all the information on the winy usb 3.0 issues. I agree with your statement when you said all this trouble isn't worth the faster speeds, but I'm in it for "the thrill of faster access times"

I currently have followed all of part 1 (except for the multiple installations) and most recently completed part 2, with the usb super speed diagnostic tool installation.

i'm still only getting 30mg/sec and I'm pretty sure I should be getting around at least 60mg/s:

Everything went according to your plan, except for my Western Digital 1 TB portable harddrive showing up under "harddisk drives" not "devices with removeable storage" is this a big deal?

I installed the windows SES drivers for this device when I first installed. If I remove my harddrive from the "hard diskdrives" catagory and get it to show up under "devices with removeable storage" will that enable 3.0 transfer speeds? (around 60mb/s)

Your WD 1TB in Hard Disk Drives is in the right place, think of it as an 'External Drive' rather than a
'Removable Device'. (Would not know how to shift it to 'Devices with etc.' and would not want to as
there would be no speed advantage) Installed WD SES drivers, good

Check this out first: when i bought my WD 2TB, it was first with USB 3.0/2.0 facility; currently it's
available on 500GB - 3TB (MyBook Essential) and others. So check your model Name. and Google 'WD'

MyBook USB 2.0 Diskmark results Read 31.99 Write 26.51 which seem to be in the ball park of what you're
getting.

So, we need more info. Is WD 1TB USB 3.0 compliant?
Did cable come with it (needs to be USB 3.0)?
Using USB 3.0 Card or Port built in MOBO
What USB 3.0 Host Controller is turning up in Device Manager?
Have you tried a FlashDrive (Removable Device) plugged in USB2 then USB3 for
comparison?

Appreciate the obvious research and thought that you've applied to the thread,,,

BUT

The "problem" in the title is about USB 3.0 not starting on boot with WIN 7 / 8, without some help,,,
Not about speed, the speeds are fine. The PCI USB 3.0 expansion card does not get 'slowed' because
a motherboard has USB 2.0 ports, otherwise the manufacture and installation of such cards would be
pointless

Sorry if my tract has misled you, but we are all here to learn from each other
However, the suggestion to change a motherboard (2002 vintage) just for USB 3.0, is joke, right?

I had the Server running Server 2008 R2 (X64) at first and tried the default Dell USB 3.0 driver, and the latest drivers from Renesas.
When the server is running, all is well and USB is super fast! No complaints. But when the server isnt in use for an hour it goes to sleep, and i wake it up via a WOL.exe when i start my PC or MediaCenter. And in 75% of the time, USB 3.0 is dead/gone/missing. Yellow mark in the hardware saying: renesas usb 3.0 eXtensible host controller This device is not present, is not working properly, or does not have all its drivers installed. (Code 24)
A simple reboot and USB 3.0 is back. But its not normal to reboot direct after i woke my server up. Thats not the purpose of letting it go to sleep.

Then came the Windows Server 2012 Beta (x64). Like WIndows 8 it has USB 3.0 drivers native, so i gave it a trie. And YES, with exact the same settings as on 2008 R2 (x64) i never had any problems! Going to sleep, waking up, and NEVER EVER any problems with USB 3.0. So exactly the same hardware and the same power settings!

I was so enthousiast that when the Release Candidate came of Windows Server 2012 (x64) I put that one. Still exact the same hardware and power settings, the USB 3.0 problem is back ! Almosdt 75% of the time my USB 3.0 is gone/dead after a wake up and i need to reboot to get it back. And again Yellow mark in the hardware saying: renesas usb 3.0 eXtensible host controller This device is not present, is not working properly, or does not have all its drivers installed. (Code 24)

So i really dont know what to do. I cant go back to the Windows Server 2012 Beta (x64), cause its just a Beta and will expire eventually. I really want to buy Windows Server 2012 (x64) when it comes out, but i have to be sure USB 3.0 will work fine! I wish someone (Like Microsoft) had a solution for this. Come one, USB 3.0 excists for so long now and it getting so affordable lately.

On both not working OSs i tried every tirck on the internet and every power setting available, but nothing seems to help...
I really hate it cause the speed of USB 3.0 is super!

Waking Comatose USB 3.0

Hi Lindsey

Appreciate your detailed contribution to the thread, but first my non-credentials:
No experience of Network-Attached Storage (nas), Windows Server O/S or Optiplex 990
Solved my USB 3.0 problem by aquiring new platform (Dell Precision 490) so that same
Addonics Host Controller card now works fine. My valued Dimensions 4550/4500 must have
had something in BIOS/Chipset that WIN 7/8 did not cater for, hence startup problem although
these O/S's work in all other respects on these ancient platforms

That may sound like a drastic solution, but reason is that Pentium 4 has no 'eXecute Disable bit'
function and Windows 8 Release Preview won't install without it. (M'soft could have told us with
WIN 8 Consumer Preview, rather than raising false hopes) Like you, like to keep up

You may have to unplug USB 3.0/2.0 devices from Host Controller( a pain I know, but it's that, a
long wait or a re-boot)

BEFORE you do all that check for latest BIOS @ Dell Drivers & Downloads:
O990-A13.exe (5MB) 24/05/2012
O990-A03.exe (5MB) 11/05/2011

are only two listed. Any Update of BIOS has its RISKs, so use this information to confirm
that your BIOS is up to date... Even if it's not, don't think your problem warrants potential
lock out (No floppy version available)

ALSO: Check this, your WD Externals could be confused by server sleep, so re-boot
by plugging power supply cord out, pause and back in

Finally, ADDONICS card is back in Dimension 4550 working well with USB30CV on desktop
to start it
Precision 490 has new USB 3.0 4-Port Host Controller Card, BEST CONNECTIVITY, cheap and
very effective so far (80 MB/s Write from 65 MB/s to WD MyBook 3.0 2TB) Using DiskMark

So that's a happy ending to my usb 3 story, good luck with yours
Let us know

Hi there, I have a Problem that seems to correspond to this. Though the issue is slightly different.
I have a VIA USB 3.0 PCI card. From the beginning onwards I had the following problem. Mostly when I install the driver I "only" get the host (VIA 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller) as also the USB3.0 driver (VIA USB 3 Root Hub & VIA USB eXtensible Host Controller) installed. Nearly always I lack the USB 2.0 controller (VIA USB 2.0). Funny enough it won't recognize any device plugged in without the 2.0 driver. Windows seams to forget that the driver is necessary and I had the system working very well till after some update the 2.0 driver went missing. Any idea how where I can change the setting so it will stay in system respectively get installed?